1991 "We find your behavior embarrassing not only to us but to the American people, for the image you are reflecting is being projected throughout the world." - Vernon Bellcourt

American Indians shift protest to Atlanta

1991 Oct 23 Lancaster Eagle Gazette 

      Atlanta - As the World Series shifted to the City Too Busy to Hate, so did the debate over whether doing the "Tomahawk Chop" is demeaning to American Indians.

• "We find your behavior embarrassing not only to us but to the American people, for the image you are reflecting is being projected throughout the world." - American Indian Movement leader Vernon Bellcourt of Minnesota. ... He implored fans to stop painting their faces, wearing headdresses, carrying tomahawks and yelling what he called a 'Hollywood hype' war chant. "Can you imagine what people think throughout the world when they see the Atlanta Braves fans in the stands acting the way they do?" 

     While the American Indians were pleading with the few fans who could hear him, a few feet away, Braves fans inside a tent took turns beating on drums in a series-long vigil being sponsored by an Atalanta radio station. About 30 minutes into the Indians' protests, Atlanta police encircled them to keep fans from getting too near. Before police intervened, some fans had sung the war chant loudly and done the tomahawk chop in the faces of the Indian speakers. 

One fan held up a sign reading "The tomahawk is not humiliating. Grow up."  One fan said "I don't see where they've got a reason to protest. Where were they before the World Series?"

• "Our struggle does not turn on who wins the pennant," Bellecourt said. "We've been in this for years and years, trying to get the major league baseball franchises and the major league football teams to discontinue the use of Indian names for their mascots. It breed the kind of ignorance we see here at this stadium." 

1991 Oct 23 Lancaster Eagle Gazette